Did Some Stalls

[Jim Meade]

After recalibrating the AOA and associated components and settings, a friend and I too my plane up to see how the AOA chevrons and horn worked. We did a bunch of stalls about a year ago and have a pretty good feel for where the airplane wants to quit flying.

 

First a couple of benign straight-ahead power off stalls under various flap settings to check that the AOA indications were in the expected range, as they were.

 

Then, I did a few stalls at well over 30°bank, 15° flaps, power off, more or less like an aggressive base to final turn. Both directions. Horn and chevrons acted as they should. Plane is very docile in these stalls. It seemed to want to level out as the nose dropped.

 

Next, we each did a couple of power on stalls. Again, the AOA was right on. 15° flaps, slow and hold altitude until the ASI was about 45 knots to try to replicate a departure, then full power and simultaneous back pressure pretty briskly and point her up till she stalls. No fear. Straightforward operation. AOA and horn right on.

 

Finally, I tried a couple of times to kind of snap it into a kind of accelerated stall. Flaps -6° for best g load handling. Power to idle. Hold altitude until ASI was about 60, then very vigorously full back on the stick. Stalls straight ahead at about 55 kias the couple of times I did it. Not sure what good it did, but it was fun to try. I have not been a great fan of the 60° level bank accelerated stall until I'm pretty comfortable with how well an airplane is rigged.

 

Last year, we did some elevator trim stalls which it would be good to repeat for familiarity. Probably time to see about a cross-control stall, which I've done but not in a CT.

 

 

[mocfly]

Can you actually fly the AOA where it is displayed?

 

 

[Jim Meade]

It's not very easy to pick it out as a primary instrument. We were more verifying that it displayed representative indications. It needs to be moved.

[josjonkers]

After recalibrating the AOA and associated components and settings, a friend and I too my plane up to see how the AOA chevrons and horn worked. We did a bunch of stalls about a year ago and have a pretty good feel for where the airplane wants to quit flying.

 

First a couple of benign straight-ahead power off stalls under various flap settings to check that the AOA indications were in the expected range, as they were.

 

Then, I did a few stalls at well over 30°bank, 15° flaps, power off, more or less like an aggressive base to final turn. Both directions. Horn and chevrons acted as they should. Plane is very docile in these stalls. It seemed to want to level out as the nose dropped.

 

Next, we each did a couple of power on stalls. Again, the AOA was right on. 15° flaps, slow and hold altitude until the ASI was about 45 knots to try to replicate a departure, then full power and simultaneous back pressure pretty briskly and point her up till she stalls. No fear. Straightforward operation. AOA and horn right on.

 

Finally, I tried a couple of times to kind of snap it into a kind of accelerated stall. Flaps -6° for best g load handling. Power to idle. Hold altitude until ASI was about 60, then very vigorously full back on the stick. Stalls straight ahead at about 55 kias the couple of times I did it. Not sure what good it did, but it was fun to try. I have not been a great fan of the 60° level bank accelerated stall until I'm pretty comfortable with how well an airplane is rigged.

 

Last year, we did some elevator trim stalls which it would be good to repeat for familiarity. Probably time to see about a cross-control stall, which I've done but not in a CT.

Oh you brave soul! Next flight try the -6 and just before stall kick in full left or right rudder and please report back on what happens??

I am just too chicken....

[Jim Meade]

Well, have actually done that, but I haven't left the rudder in for more than about 1/4 to 1/2 turn. So, it was nowhere near entering a spin. I am sticking my toe in the water making sure it recovers in a predictable manner. I'm not saying that advocating a spin, I'm only talking about recognizing and recovering from an incipient spin.

 

I tried to induce a cross control stall several times last year and couldn't get it to break, but I was just increasing rudder and aileron to the stop. My thinking is I'll have to activate the controls with a snap to see if it will stall. That's in the plan. A cross control stall is a bit of a dramatic maneuver if you haven't done one before. I would not recommend it by yourself the first time.

[Tom Baker]

I have never had any problems with stalls in the Sw except with 40° flaps, and then every once in a while it would bite.

[Darrenr]

When I do stalls in slow flight with 15 or 30 degrees flaps and no bank I keep the stick back and the plane recovers on its own with just the natural dip of the nose, I just keep holding it back the whole time and it will stall and then recover stall recover with no Input from me.

[Ed Cesnalis]

I think we are having 2 different conversations. One about stalls and one about incipient spins.

 

I find that coordinated stalls are generally benign and that cross controlled stalls remain mostly unexplored due to the limitation on spins.

[Jim Meade]

AC 61-67C, Stall And Spin Awareness Training, is a short and informative read on stalls and spin training. In my opinion, an incipient spin is not a spin.

 

http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC%2061-67C%20%20CHG%201.pdf

 

Edit: I'm going to back off on my opinion that an incipient spin is not a spin. There is a lot of verbiage that says it may be. So, keep in in mind that if your airplane is not spin certified one may want to be circumspect about doing incipient spins.

[Ed Cesnalis]

Even a fully developed spin can be unintentional.

[opticsguy]

I got up high one day and tried doing turns while stalled, engine at idle and 0 flaps (how I usually fly until final). Aileron to the left 30 deg, same to the right, again with with a little rudder. It was like being in the slow flight regime. Tried 40 bank to the right, no problem, to the left, whoops! the turn started accelerating (prop wash not helping?). I instantly let go of the stick and I was flying within a couple of seconds, after doing about 270 degrees.

 

I leave my trim at cruise settin, so any sort of stall requires a lot of stick back pressure, and letting go of it puts the nose down right away. If you had elevator trim set for slow flight, letting go of it may not be enough to recover from or avoid a stall.

[Jim Meade]

If you had elevator trim set for slow flight, letting go of it may not be enough to recover from or avoid a stall.

Yes, you're right about that. The cited AC has a good discussion of it. SP and PP are not required to demonstrate a trim stall, but CFIs are. It is not a big deal and something it is worth while to do once with a CFI just so you are not surprised by the amount of stick force needed to keep the AOA where you want it while you roll the trim off. I did one today for fun.